Gas control for cooking ranges



A. G, SHERMAN 7 2,597,266

GAS CONTROL FOR COOKING RANGES May 20, 1955 Filed Dec. 6, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 I7 20 HP] 1 M8820, 1952 A. G. SHERMAN 2,597,266 GAS CONTROL FOR COOKING RANGES Filgd Dec. 6, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. 6Q mv 6 Jflf/F/VHM Patented May 20, 1952 GAS ooNrrnoL FDR connin nat ons Alvin G. Sherman, -Grosse Pointeii'ark, Mich, as-

signor to Globe .Ame'ric an Corporation; 'Kokomo,

Ind, acorporation" .anp cat on l e emhc 94 ,isgtia Naiflfllt l 1:; meme. 1.126 39) This invention relates to the valve control of the gas line leadin to the ovenburner in acooking range, and has for its object jtheprovision of a combination manual control and timer control for insuring safety in the operation of the oven.

In respect to an oven of a gas cooking range there is always danger of the gas being turned on and failing to ignite, resulting in anexplosion. Many safety devices havebeen proposed for-minimizing this danger, particularly in ovens having automatic ignition. 'It is ffound,1however, that in the automatic lighting ofthe oven burner, not only is the safety mechanism costly, but can iail to function. The fact that it is relied upon therefore makes it doubly dangerous in event of failure.

It is the purpose of this invention to ,pro'videa manual valve control so arranged that tnegas may only be turned on when the oven is opened to ignite the gas. By so arranging ithe'vjalve as to require opening of the oven, it mayjimmedia'tely be ascertained as to whether or not the gas is properly ignited. Thereupon, and with the oven closed during the cooking operation; .the valve may be actuated to shut .off the 'gas through manual manipulation exteriorly of the iolven vor by an automatic timing device so that the oven door need not be opened vto turn,it-.ofi,';but.may remain closed to continue the cooking thereaiter through the medium of the latent heat storednp in the oven.

The full nature of the invention'will .be .understood from the accompanying .drawing's and' the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewlooking upwardly intothe open oven compartment ,o'fajco'oking range with the valve control panel shown themabove.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the gas .control panel with parts broken away',-,and ,operab1y.as sociated with the oven .dampenshowin ithegas valve in closed position.

Fig. 3 is a section 'takenon the line;3i3.of Fig. 2 with parts broken awayand removed.

Fig. 4 is the same as Fig.2, showing the 'gas valve in open position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the oven compartment of the cooking range rand the .335 control thereof, with parts "broken away and removed.

In the drawings there is'shown -a ;gas cooking range Ill having an oven compartment l-l fsh own l5 having the usual burners not shown, back of which there is a rear back panel l6;. Thepanel 'l-t carries-onits faoea timing device dial I] and an oven thermostat dial 18. immediately above the dials and carried on the back panel there is a series of valve levers 1:9 for controlling the gas tothe topburners onthe top plate IE, not. shown. To "-the rear thereof and carried by said panel there isanoven gascontrol leverZfl for manually turning off theoven g-as.

Extending downwardly "into the upper front portionof the oven compartment there is a valve control lever 2:1 manually operable to turn on 'the gas in'thenven. Associated with the lever 2| there is an indicator plate 22 showin the direction ofmovernentto be imparted .to the 1ever,2l for turning on the gas. 'The bottom plate 23 of the oven is :provided with an ignition opening 24 immediately above the gas admitting portion of the bprnerindicated atr'25, to which amatch may baappliedjior'lighting the oven when the lever 2| ismoved to"on position and with the oven door open. In'this mannerithe ,user mayireadily ascertam that jtheibl l iner .is;1ighted when the gas is turned ;onjby .thelever 2]. 'By reasonpfjthe lever 2] being located within .the oven, the gas can only be turned .on when .the oven .door is opened so from .thfl'll perjfront panel of the oven frame 2.1-

lto'ga jback plate 128 at the rear 'of the vrange ,and invertical alignment with the back panel l6. Secured {togthemod .26 there is'a controlcam 29 having "ac ne i q il e easeableiby a roller 3! mountedon one end of the control lever 32. The'co'ntroljlever is fulcrumed at 33 onthelback plate'2 8. On the opposite side of the-fulcrum}; irom the roller therejisan-ofiset'weighted portion indicated at 34. @Ihe-opposite end [of said lever extends upwardly from the weighted portion to a point adjacenttl e valve closing lever 20 and-is flanged at "35 to iorm a shouldered opening indicatedattli. The contro1 cam 29 is *formed with a "downwardly extending arm 31 which is connected by linkage 38 with the pivotally mounted damper [4, said damperhaving a crankpin'BBactuated bythe linkage' for rnoving the damper from closed to open 'position when the arm 3'! is raised and the ovengas turned on; ;Said-control-cam is also provided with an actuating flange 40 adapted to be wound clockwise into; abutting engagement with the end of -a gas -valve plunger 4|. Said plunger is slidably mounted ina'pair of brackets 42, 43, and extends into the gas valve housing 44 for opening the valve when the plunger is moved upwardly by the control cam and closing said valve when the plunger slides back by gravity upon being released by the control cam. The valve 44 controls the gas line, the outlet portion thereof leading to the oven burner being indicated at 45, and the intake portion thereof being indicated at 46. The intake portion of the gas line comprises the outlet portion leading from the thermostat control indicated at 41 adapted to be set by the dial I8 to the desired temperature range, the intake gas line being connected to the thermostat through the coupling indicated at'48. Thus, upon the control lever 2| being swung to the left when the oven door is open, it causes the damper 4 to be swung to open position and opens the valve 44 in the gas line for permitting the gas to be ignited at the burner element 25.

The manual shut-off lever is fulcrumed on the back plate 28 at 49 to extend directly downwardly in balanced position, terminating in a flanged offset 50. Upon the control cam being partially rotated clockwise to open the valve 44, it permits the lever 32 to swing by gravity through the action of the weighted portion 34 with the cam follower in the form of the roller 3| moving inwardly about the cam face until it drops into the notch 5| formed on said cam, from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4. This action swings the upper end of the lever to the right into a position adjacent an offset 50 of the valve closing lever 20. By means of this construction, when it is desired to shut off the oven burner, and without opening the oven door to manipulate the lever 2 I, the handle of the lever 20 extending above the range is pushed to the right, swinging the offset 50 to the left. Its engagement with the upper part of the lever 32 overcomes the weight 34, swinging the roller 3| out of interlocking engagement with the notch 5|. This releases the control cam which returns to the-position shown in Fig. 2 by gravity action due to the weight of the damper and the valve control plunger 4|. Thereupon, the damper swings to its closed position, to retain the heat in the oven and the valve plunger drops down to its valve closing position.

To permit automatic closing of the valve through the time control, a timing mechanism is incorporated in a housing 52 carrying the dial l1. Said housing is secured by a bracket 53 on the back of the back plate 28 and is formed with an upwardly extending arm 54. A controlling element 55 of the timer is adjustably secured in the elongated slot of an arm 56, said arm being yieldingly connected with the bracket arm 54 by a tension spring 51, tending to move the arm 56 to the left under spring tension. The arm 55 is provided with an offset shoulder 58 against which the flange lies when the lever 32 is swung to valve open position, as shown in Fig. 4. The free end of the arm 55 extends through the slot 36 in said flange and is freely supported for an upward camming action against a bracket plate 59.

By means of this arrangement, with the valve 44 in its on position, and the parts as shown in Fig. 4, should it be desired to close the valve after a predetermined length of time, the dial I! of the timer 52 is turned counterclockwise, as in Fig. 1, to the desired setting. This has the effect of moving the control lever 55 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, to draw the arm 56 to the right under tension of the spring 51 until the shoulder 58 drops down over the flange 35 to interlock therewith. With the timer parts thus set, as the timer control element 55 returns to its normal position, it will force the upper end of the lever 32 to the left, to thereby release the roller 3| from the notch 5| and permit the valve 44 to close. In doing so, the free end of the arm 56 rides back up the bracket 59, to elevate it out of the way of the free action of the lever 32 for the next operation in turning on the valve.

Wherein reference is herein made to, and the disclosure illustrates, the application of the invention to an oven burner, such term and disclosure is to be construed in its broadest sense to apply to any gas heated compartment having a closure and containing a burner, such as a broiler or warming compartment.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner biased to normally closed position, a valve control member mounted and accessible only from within the oven operably associated with said valve and manually shiftable to open it, and a second valve control member mounted and accessible externally of said oven operably associated with said first-mentioned member and manually shiftable in a direction to permit said first-mentioned member and valve to return to valve closed po sition.

2. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner biased to normally closed position, a valve control member mounted and accessible only from within the oven operably associated with said valve and manually shiftable to open it, a second valve control member mounted and accessible externally of said oven operably associated with said first-mentioned member and manually shiftable in a direction to permit said first-mentioned member and valve to return to valve closed position, and an automatic control member operatively associated with said second-mentioned member adapted to be set for actuation after a predetermined time interval in a direction to permit said second-mentioned member and valve to return to valve closed position.

3. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner biased to closed position, a valve control member mounted and accessible only from within the oven, a second valve control member mounted and accessible exteriorly of the oven, and mechanism for operatively connecting said members and valve for opening said valve upon said first-mentioned member being manually shifted and permitting said valve to be closed upon said second mentioned member being manually shifted.

4. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner biased to normally closed position, a valve control member mounted and accessible only from within the oven operably associated with said valve and manually shiftable to open it, a second valve control member mounted and accessible externally of said oven operably associated with said first-mentioned member and manually shiftable in a direction to permit said first-mentioned member and valve to return to valve closed position, and a damper in said oven operably connected with said members for movement to open position upon said first-mentionedmember being shifted and to closed position upon said secondmentioned member being shifted.

-orly of the oven, mechanism for 'dperatively connecting said members and v lve roropening said valve upon said first-mentioned member being manually shifted and permitting said valve to be closed upon said second-mentioned member being manually shifted, and a damp r in said ovenoperably connected with saidmechanism formovement thereby to open position upon actuation of said first-'nentioned member and closed position upon actuation of one of said'other members.

6. In a gas cooking range having an -oven, -an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner and normally in closed position, a plunger for opening said valve, a control cam movable in one direction for engaging and moving said plunger to open position and in the opposite direction for releasing said plunger to permit said valve to assume its closed position, a valve control member mounted within the oven manually operable to move said cam to its valve opening position, a lever having one end engageable by said cam for moving it to a latched position upon said cam being moved to open said valve, and a second valve control member mounted exteriorly of said oven engageable with said lever for unlatching it and permitting said cam to return to inoperative position and said valve to its normally closed position.

'7. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner and normally in closed position, a plunger for opening said valve, a control cam movable in one direction for engaging and moving said plunger to open position and in the opposite direction for releasing said plunger to permit said valve to assume its closed position, a valve control member mounted within the oven manually operable to move said cam to its valve opening position, a lever having one end engageable by said cam for moving it to a latched position upon said cam being moved to open said valve, a manually operable control member mounted exteriorly of said oven, and a time controlled member, said last-mentioned members being engageable with said lever upon actuation thereof for unlatching it from said cam to permit said cam to return to inoperative position and said valve to its normally closed position.

8. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner and normally in closed position, a plunger for opening said valve, a control cam movable in one direction for engaging and moving said plunger to open position and in the opposite direction for releasing said plunger to permit said valve to assume its closed position, a valve control member mounted within the oven manually operable to move said cam to its valve opening position, a lever having one end engageable by said cam for moving it to a latched position upon said cam being moved to open said valve, a second valve control member mounted exteriorly ofgsaid oven engageable with said lever for unlatchmg it and permitting said cam to return to inoperative position and said valve to its normally closed =po'sition, and a damper in-said oven operablyconnected withsaid cam movable thereby to openposition when said cam is moved to valve openingppsition and to closed position-upon said each returning to its inoperative position. n

9. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control :for the .oven burner including a valve connectedawith the burner and biased to closed-position, a valve opening member mounted and accessible only fromwithin the oven 7 at the upper forward portionthereof, a valve panel po- 'sitioned above the rearof wthe' rangehaving aconveniently accessible valveclosingmember'rnounted thereon, and mechanism mounted on 'said range operably connected with said valveopening member by a rock shaft extending {transverselyiromthe front to the-rear of-said-ovenand by a fulcrumed dever with -said valve closing member, said mechanism being operative by said first-mentioned member to open said valve and by said second-mentioned member to effect the closing of said valve.

10. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner and normally in closed position, a valve opening member mounted and accessible only from within the oven at the upper I'orward portion thereof, a valve panel positioned above the rear of the range having a conveniently accessible valve closing member mounted thereon, mechanism mounted on said range operably connected with said valve opening member by a rock shaft extending transversely from the front to the rear of said oven and by a fulcrumed lever with said valve closing member, said mechanism being operative by said firstmentioned member to open said valve and by said second-mentioned member to efiect the closing of said valve, and a damper valve at the rear of said oven connected with said mechanism for movement to open position upon operation of said first-mentioned member and to closed position upon operation of said second-mentioned member.

'11. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a valve connected with the burner and normally in closed position, a valve opening member extending rearwardly from the forward upper portion of said oven, a valve closing member mounted exteriorly of said oven, an automatic time controlled membermounted on said range, a control element pivotally mounted on said range at the back of said oven, at rock shaft extending from said first-mentioned member to the rear of said oven and connected with said control element, means on said control element for actuating said valve to open position, and a lever fulcrumed on said range movable by said control element to latched position, whereby said element and lever will be latched in valve opening position, said lever extending into operative association with said valve closing member and automatic time controlled member respectively, whereby upon actuation of one of said last-mentioned members said lever will be moved to unlatched position permitting said control element and first-mentioned member to return to valve releasing position for permitting the closing thereof.

12. In a gas cooking range having an oven, an oven gas control for the oven burner including a 7 valve connected with the burner and normally in closed position, a valve opening member extending rearwardly from the forward upper portion of said oven, a valve closing member mounted exteriorly of said oven, an automatic time controlled member mounted on said range, a control element pivotally mounted on said range at the back of said oven, a rock shaft extending from said valve opening member to the rear of said oven and connected with said control element, means on said control element for actuating said valve to open position, a lever fulcrumed on said range movable by said control element to latched position, whereby said element and lever will be latched 1n valve opening position, said lever extending into operative association with said valve closing control member and automatic time controlled member respectively, whereby upon actuation of one of said last-mentioned members said lever will be moved to unlatched position permitting said control element and valve opening member to return to valve releasing position REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 638,501 De Freitas Dec. 5, 1899 965,162 Dearborn July 26, 1910 1,161,523 Phillips Nov. 23, 1915 2,025,896 Reedy Dec. 31, 1935 2,032,594 Rogers s Mar. 3, 1936 2,127,970 Gatons Aug. 23, 1938 2,308,570 Sherman Jan. 19, 1943 

